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It may seem ironic to talk about sleep for fitness gains when we are continually being encouraged to get off the couch and get active, but finding a balance between exercise and recovery is important for performance, health and fitness.

It is during sleep that the natural power of the body is restored. How much sleep you need varies from person to person however we are seeing a lack of sleep as an epidemic in modern society.

The recommended amount of sleep for adults is between 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. The average amount of sleep North American adults get is much lower, around 6 to 7 hours per night. This sleep deficit adds up and can accumulate to losing a full night of sleep once per week. Lack of sleep can lead to impaired cognitive function, diminished physical performance, irritability, and increased risk of high blood pressure and diabetes.

Fatigue can affect a person’s ability to think clearly. People who are fatigued find it hard to gauge their level of impairment. Fatigue can slow reaction time and make it hard to focus. Research indicates that staying awake for 17 hours straight or accumulating a sleep loss of two hours a night has a similar effect to drinking two to three beers. In fact, it is like having a blood-alcohol content of .05, the legal limit in Alberta.

When it comes to overall health, fitness and performance, rest is vital. In the article Sleep: The Athlete’s Steroid, by Mike Bracko published in one of the leading international fitness journals, IDEA Fitness Journal, he reviews the research relevant to sleep and performance. Research has shown that the healing powers of sleep can assist exercisers in reaching their performance goals. Even a nap had been found to lower heart rates, improve alertness and accuracy on a reaction time test. Critical metabolic and immune processes occur during specific stages of sleep therefore there is a relationship between physical recovery and ability to train at maximum capacity with optimal results.

Sleep occurs when your brain and body cycle several times through two phases of sleep: NREM (non rapid eye movement) and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. NREM sleep has four progressive stages before entering into REM sleep, and then repeating the entire cycle again throughout the night. It is during the third and fourth stage of NREM sleep that human growth hormone (HGH) is released into the blood stream to rebuild and repair the body. Allowing the body to restore from the stresses of life, work or training. This is the part of sleep that many coaches and trainers refer to as the “athlete’s steroid.”

A growing body of research suggests that paying close attention to your body clock and its effects on energy and alertness can help determine the times of day when you perform your best. As everyone’s body clock is different it is important to observe when you have the most energy, clearest thinking and problem solving abilities. Designing your fitness program around your highest energy times will give you the ability to perform better. However there is also an argument to working out during lower energy times to increase your energy levels. The important thing to remember is your goal. If your goal is to run faster, then training during your most alert times of day will give you better results. If your goal is to use your fitness program to help increase your energy than working out at lower energy times will meet your needs.

Sleep or lack of sleep can affect our weight. There is compelling evidence that chronic lack of sleep alters hormones that control appetite. Poor sleep triggers the brain to eat and reduces the signals that enough food has been consumed. The hormone cortisol appears higher in individuals that lack sleep. This hormone increases your need for quick energy and the craving for “comfort food.” The research indicates insufficient sleep led to an average weekly weight gain of nearly a kilogram due to changes in hunger and decreased satiety. The increased food intake during insufficient sleep is a physiological adaptation to provide energy needed to sustained additional wakefulness. However due to easily accessible food and a craving for simple carbohydrates and fats the intake surpassed the need.

Getting a good night sleep isn’t easy for everyone and many people suffer from sleep disorders. Know if your poor sleeping habits are ones you can be improved by making changes in your lifestyle or something that requires medical attention.

Make good sleep a part of your overall health and wellness program and enjoy the positive results in your fitness activities and goals.

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